being strong is not always a choice
by erika95
Summary: 5 times Hector learns to be strong


No, Hector Rivera had never been a strong person. He was the sensitive one, with a heart of gold and who knew no feelings like hatred or envy; for him the happiness of others always came before his own, to the great disappointment of his friend Ernesto who often made fun of him by giving him a saint and asking him when miracles would occur and who got very angry when everyone at the orphanage praised him as a good child. Yet when the difficulties in his life came (and even after his death), he still found the strength to rise and rise from the ashes like a phoenix * because sometimes you have no choice but to surrender to your fate .  
The first time he was just 2 years old and had lost both parents due to the terrible plague that had affected Santa Cecilia that year; he had arrived at the orphanage for a couple of days and the night was unable to fall asleep because he was tormented by the nightmares of his burning house and of him who was looking for his mother who was on the ground and was not responding. So he had jumped out of bed and was ready to run when Emilio Lopez Garcia's voice stopped him  
"Mijo, where are you going?" "I don't want to be here, I want my mom!"  
"Your mom is gone. You are safe here now! "And Hector burst into tears in despair, moving Emilio's heart  
"Hey, hey niño èsta bien! I'm here with you! Everything will be fine, I promise you! "And hugged him rocking him. After a while the sobs stopped and Hector wiped his eyes smiling at Emilio who was still unaware of the fact that he would soon become fond of that little one to consider him his son. The second time he was 4 years old and was in a hospital bed, with severe abdominal pain and a boiling forehead; had appendicitis, had to face a risky surgery and was very afraid  
"Mijo, I know it hurts but now the doctor will help you get better. Will you be brave for me? "Emilio was beside him, as always  
"I'm scared!"  
"I know pajarito *! I have one too. But it will be fine, you'll see! Now wipe away the tears and sing our song with me. "And they started singing You will see Miracles, their song until it was transported to the operating room. The third time he was 5 years old and Emilio had just died; he had closed himself in his room, without wanting to see anyone, not even Ernesto and crying until all his tears were exhausted. But then remembering that his teacher and father never wanted to see him like that, he rinsed his face, played the guitar in his memory and the next day at the funeral he did not cry even once, surprising everyone with his strength. The fourth time was 52 years * after his death, after the bitter confrontation with his wife Imelda and his initial addiction to psychiatric drugs. The day before he had been found unconscious on the floor of his shack in Shantytown and full of vomit from Tia Chelo who had taken him to the hospital; there he had told her about his addiction and she had tried to convince him to seek treatment but had been thrown out in a bad way. But now he felt sad, alone and ashamed of what he had become  
"How did I get so reduced? Coco would be ashamed of me. I feel sorry for everything. "But then he remembered his desire to see his daughter again and this gave him the strength to go on and went to rehabilitation, accompanied by Tia Chelo. The fifth time was about fifteen years later * when the Land of the Dead was hit by a big storm and Shantytown's huts felled by water and mud. Ernesto de la Cruz had pretended to take an interest in the fate of the almost forgotten to further increase his popularity by donating money for the reconstruction; but he did not expect Hector to return them to the sender with a letter and this infuriated him. Then he sent the press to Shantytown and had him interviewed to draw hatred from the entire Land of the Dead onto him.  
"Mr. Rivera, Mr. De la Cruz made a generous offer and you throw it away as if it were garbage?"  
"Generous? Tsk! He doesn't care about this place, he just wants to advertise. And we don't need the help of fake people like him, we always managed it alone! "And went to help clear the mud from the barracks  
"Insolent little boy!" Ernesto spat out  
The next day when he saw Emilio Lopez Garcia at the market, he decided to tease him a little  
"You raised your son well teacher! You will be proud of it. But I want to see when the symptoms of the Final Death arrive if he is still strong and stubborn to refuse my help! "And he disappeared without giving him time to reply. Emilio was displaced for a moment but then recovered and sent him to the devil; he was proud of his baby and although others would have considered Ernesto the victim, he would always support him.

**Notes:**

* reference to my previous fanfiction  
* pajarito is a childhood nickname given to him by Emilio  
* the year is 1973  
* the year is 1988


End file.
